A one-of-a-kind collection of recipes, photographs, and behind-the-scenes stories from legendary pitmaster Mike Mills.In this unique combination of cookbook, memoir, and travelogue, Mike Mills, the unrivalled king of barbecue, shares his passion for America's favorite cuisine--its intense smoky flavors, its lore and traditions, and its wild cast of characters.
These armadillo eggs are one of the best ideas I've seen recently. Spicy bratwurst sausage is molded around a jalapeno pepper stuffed with cream cheese to form an egg.
Servings: 12 TO 18
12 jalapeno peppers
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
Wilton Golden Yellow paste food coloring (or yellow food coloring)
3 pounds spicy bratwurst sausage, casings removed
17th Street Special All-Purpose Dressing, optional
Cut the stem ends off the jalapenos and use a small knife to cut the seeds out. Keep the peppers whole.
Put the cream cheese into a small bowl and use a toothpick to add a tiny bit of the paste food coloring (this paste is very concentrated, so a little goes a long way). Mix the coloring thoroughly into the cream cheese. Add more, if you need it, to achieve a bright golden color, like the yolk of an egg.
Transfer the cream cheese to a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe the cheese into the jalapenos. (You can make your own pastry bag by using a small zippered plastic bag and snipping off one corner.)
Divide the sausage into 12 pieces. Flatten each piece into a disk, place a filled jalapeno in the center, and wrap the sausage around it, pressing the edges to seal. Form the sausage into the shape of a large egg.
Smoke for 1 1/2 hours at 250 degrees.
Slice to serve. The slices will resemble sliced hard-cooked eggs, with the colored cream cheese looking like the yolk. Serve with the dressing, if desired.
